Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights

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The Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights was established in 1988 by Muammar al-Gaddafi who initially granted 10 million US$[citation needed] to the Swiss-based foundation North-South which awards the prize. According to its website, the prize is awarded to one of the "international personalities, bodies or organizations that have distinctively contributed to rendering an outstanding human service and has achieved great actions in defending human rights, protecting the causes of freedom and supporting peace everywhere in the world".[1] The sum of the prize money is US$250,000 (in case of several recipients the prize money is shared). The prize has attracted controversy over some of its selections (such as Roger Garaudy).[2]

He didn't have to ingratiate himslef - he was already accepted. Since 2003 Libya has been Chairing the UN Human Rights Commission, having been elected despite opposition from the USA:BBC NEWS | World | Africa | Libya takes human rights role"Human Rights Watch said: "Today hundreds of people remain arbitrarily detained, some for over a decade, and there are serious concerns about treatment in detention and the fairness of procedures in several ongoing high-profile trials before the Peoples' Courts". Libya was nominated to run the UN Human Rights Commission by African nations. Our correspondent says this was widely seen as part of the unofficial quid pro quo Libya had negotiated in return for financing the newly-created African Union, the successor to the Organisation of African Unity, which was formed last year."

People here - especially of a liberal bent, who think the best of everyone, ignore the fact that the majority of Governments are corrupt dictatorships of some sort, and that they are therefore in a majority in the UN.